


Under a sky full of stars

by Tovarich



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aromantic Aziraphale (Good Omens), Aromantic Crowley (Good Omens), M/M, Platonic Date, Queerplatonic Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Queerplatonic Relationships, They love each other so much, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-22 15:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22718440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tovarich/pseuds/Tovarich
Summary: Aziraphale wants to celebrate his and Crowley's relationship on Valentine's day. While Crowley was less than enthusiastic at the idea at first, he ended up spending a wonderful evening with his angel.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	Under a sky full of stars

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a fic/art exchange on twitter for Valentine's day.  
> Also, this is my first good omens fanfiction, so please be gentle with me <3

Valentine's day was approaching. Their first Valentine's day since the almost apocalypse. Aziraphale knew Crowley didn't like it. to be true, Crowley hated that day, even though most of it was Crowley's ideas which ended up backfiring. However, after six thousand years, they were finally able to openly show affection to each other and this was as good a day as another to celebrate. Moreover, in all those six millennia together, it had mostly been Crowley trying to please Aziraphale, to make him happy, to save him from dire situations. This time, Aziraphale wanted to do something to make Crowley happy. He would find the perfect way to celebrate their relationship. But first, he had to make sure Crowley would actually come to the bookshop on the fourteenth and not sleep through it and wake up the next morning as he had done on previous years.

And so, Aziraphale dialled Crowley's cell phone number on his old telephone.

"Hey Angel! What's up? Do you need anything?" Crowley replied so quickly Aziraphale jumped in surprise. But he relaxed immediately at the sound of his best friend's voice.

"Hello dear." Aziraphale replied, his fond smile clear in his voice. "I just wanted to know if you were free on the fourteenth. I thought we could spend the day together. If you want to of course!" Aziraphale was nervous. He was trying to hide it, but he was a bad liar. And Crowley was good at knowing what was going on in Aziraphale's head.

As it was, Crowley was slightly suspicious. Oh, he didn't think that the Angel wanted to do anything to hurt him, of course not. But he could feel that Azirapahle was hiding something and he didn't like it. He could perfectly picture Aziraphale nervously tugging at his bowtie or playing with the telephone's cable to occupy his hand that wasn't holding the receiver and smiled at the mental image. "When you say 'spend the day together', do you mean it like spending the day at the bookshop drinking wine and talking, or do you mean it like going on a date?" He narrowed his eyes, looking menacingly at his plants as he walked around. He needed to get rid of the nervous energy that took hold of him at the idea of going on a romantic date on Valentine's day with Azirapahale. He really wished he could yell at his plants right now but threatening them with his yellow irises would have to be enough for the moment.

Aziraphale opened and closed his mouth a dozen times, looking for words to explain what he meant before he finally spoke again, agitation now clear in his voice. "I uh. I mean it like a platonic date, I think. If you would be fine with that. I know you are uncomfortable with all those romantic things, dear." He tried to sit down but immediately stood up again and miracle himself a cup of tea. He closed his eyes, hoping his words would be enough to reassure Crowley.  
Apparently, it wasn't, because Crowley still didn't agree. "Why do you want to go on a date when we could just have a quiet time together at the bookshop, away from all this disgustingly sappy stuff?" Crowley grumbled, running his long fingers through his red hair. Then before Aziraphale could even open his mouth to answer, he heard Crowley sigh and say, "Wait, you know what? I'll come to the bookshop and we'll talk about this. And then we can have dinner together tonight. What do you think?"

Aziraphale smiled. He loved Crowley dearly and he knew Crowley loved him just as much. He still found it difficult to believe someone could love him so much, but he knew better than to question it. He was happy, and Crowley seemed happy too. On the other end of the line, he heard Crowley clear his throat and realised he had been silent far too long. "Sorry dearest, I was a bit lost in thoughts." Aziraphale explained with an apologetic smile that Crowley obviously couldn't see but could probably hear in his voice. "I think this is an excellent idea. I'm waiting for you."

* * *

  
Only a few minutes later, Crowley parked the car in front of the bookshop. Even with his usual driving speed, this was quick. The bookshop was closed because Aziraphale was in no state to deal with customers wanting to buy his books, but the door easily opened for Crowley just as they always did. A happy smile split the Angel's face as his demon pushed the door open and he didn't resist the urge to envelop him in a warm hug. Crowley spluttered for a bit but ended up wrapping his thin arms around the angel's soft waist. They both sighed at the same time, instantly relaxing in each other's embrace. Smelling each other's scents had always been something soothing, like coming back home and knowing nothing bad could happen to you. Now they got to do it openly, while basking in each other's warmth.  
They stayed like that for a few minutes before Crowley took a step away. "We still have to talk, Angel." He murmured teasingly even though he was unwilling to break the peace of this moment out of time. But the moment was gone already, time had resumed its relentless ticking and stress took hold of the two entities again.

Aziraphale led Crowley to the backroom and prepared some tea to keep busy for a bit. He was trying to gather the scattered fragments of thoughts, picking them up and hoping he could make sense of what was going on in his head. Keeping his hands busy wasn't very useful, but it helped a bit with the anxiety rising inside him.  
"Angel," Crowley called, voice so gentle that Aziraphale couldn't keep his eyes away from the red-haired demon. "Come sit down, you can miracle the tea, you know." There was a tinge of amusement in his voice, but it wasn't mocking.

Aziraphale nodded stiffly and sat down in his comfortable armchair. But he was unable to talk, feeling as if his throat was too tight.  
Crowley seemed to feel his distress and intervened, "Angel." He tried to catch Aziraphale's attention with his eyes. When he finally secured eye contact, he leaned forward and put a reassuring hand on the angel's knee. He was way too good at reassuring people for a demon, even a retired demon who spent most of his life on Earth with an angel. But at least it was working, as embarrassing as it was. Aziraphale didn’t look lost anymore, he was listening to Crowley's voice, he was present, there and then. This was good. Crowley took a deep breath and smiled fondly when Aziraphale mimicked his action. "Why don't you tell me why it's so important for you to go on a date and not just stay inside all day, hum?"

In this moment, Aziraphale was thanking God for Crowley's patience with him. And he would be sure to thank Crowley later, even if this would most probably earn him an annoyed groan. He felt some of his courage come back to him. This was Crowley, he could tell him everything. There was no need for fear. "Well, you see," Aziraphale began, staring at his hands on his lap, "it will be the first Valentine's day since the world almost ended, and we are finally able to openly show how much we really care for each other." Aziraphale tentatively glanced at Crowley. The demon was listening carefully and made no attempt to speak, so Aziraphale continued. "I thought it would be a good occasion to celebrate our friendship, you see. I know Valentine's day is mostly about romantic love, but I thought, we could use this to celebrate our own kind of love. Only if you're comfortable with this, of course. Otherwise we can stay inside and celebrate any other day."

"Ngk." The sound had escaped Crowley whose cheeks were now dusted in a light blush. He was still getting used to Aziraphale openly expressing his affection for him. Not that it didn't feel nice, but after all these centuries of having to hide their feelings for each other, it was a big change.  
Crowley didn't reply right away. His long body was sprawled on the sofa. He looked relaxed, but Aziraphale knew better. He could see the signs of tension in his muscles; however, he didn't say anything. He would let Crowley think he looked cool and relaxed if it made the demon feel better. Finally, Crowley must have come to a decision. "I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this. I think I might be okay with it if you promise there won't be any red heart with soppy love quote or rose petals or anything like that. And tell me more about what you thought for that platonic date."

Aziraphale smiled softly, relaxing a bit and taking a sip of his tea. "I promise there won't be anything overly romantic. I'll find the perfect place!" Aziraphale was now buzzing with excitement, which Crowley found absolutely adorable. "To be honest, I think I could do with a break from all this extravagant display of romance myself." He was a being of love, but even for him, Valentine's day was a bit too much sometimes. Especially since it seemed to disregard every other sorts of love. "I'm not sure what I was thinking of, but I think we could go to a nice secluded restaurant. Somewhere not too crowded and that wouldn't change too much from the usual for the occasion. I'm sure I'll find a place you'll like. However, I would like it to be a surprise, if you don't mind." Of course, if Crowley really wanted to know, he would tell him. He'd never do anything that would make his demonic friend uncomfortable. But he truly hoped he would get to surprise Crowley.

"All right, Angel. Whatever you want." He was still slightly worried about this whole thing, but he trusted Aziraphale enough to let him plan their non-romantic date. He liked the idea if he was completely honest. Celebrating their millennia-long relationship on Valentine's day, proclaiming that despite it not being romantic, it was just as strong and important. Yes, he definitely liked the idea.

* * *

  
And so, Aziraphale started looking for the perfect place to take Crowley. A place that would have good food and good wine. And a good scenery too, Aziraphale thought. Somewhere that would be significant in some way. He was grateful for the laptop Crowley had offered him and taught him how to use. This was helping him immensely. After a few days of relentless research, he finally found the perfect restaurant. It was in the middle of nowhere, completely lost in the countryside, which in itself sounded lovely. But what convinced Aziraphale was the pictures of the restaurant at night. It had a glass ceiling and the stars were perfectly visible from the dining room. The stars that Crowley helped creating. He was certain Crowley would love it. In the Summer, he had taken Aziraphale stargazing in the countryside, told him the names of the stars and constellations. Told him stories about them; about how they were created, and stories humans invented about them too. Aziraphale had drunk his words like the finest wine all night long until the sun breached the horizon. He booked a table at the restaurant, unable to contain his wide smile and a wiggle of satisfaction.

* * *

  
Crowley showed up at the bookshop on the morning of the fourteenth of February. He wanted to spend the whole day with his angel, which had obviously nothing to do with how anxious he felt. This wasn't the first time he went out with Aziraphale, they had had dinner together at various restaurants for centuries. And even after the failed apocalypse, they often went out together. But they had never called it a date and for some ridiculous reason, it changed everything. Crowley was nervous and being in the bookshop around his angel usually soothed his nervousness.

He pushed the door open and went directly to the backroom where he was certain to find the angel. And surely, Aziraphale was there, reading a book on the sofa with a steaming cup of cocoa. When he heard Crowley enter, he looked up from the page and smiled. "I wasn't expecting you so early, dear!"  
This had Crowley suddenly filled with self-doubt. Should he have waited until later before coming? Was his presence undesired and unwelcome? He felt the knots in his stomach and his shoulders tighten at the thought. Stupid him for not giving the angel enough space. He would get tired of Crowley's neediness soon enough and Crowley would have no one to share the eternity with.

But Aziraphale's voice got him out of his thoughts. "What are you staring at, darling?" he asked curiously. If he noticed Crowley's uneasiness, he tactfully said nothing about it. He only patted the seat next to him on the sofa with a warm smile, silently inviting the demon to join him. Crowley didn't need to be told twice; the next second, he had his head on the Angel's plump thigh. Being able to do this, to share this easy sort of intimacy with his angelic best friend, was probably the best thing about he and Aziraphale officially being on their own side. He sighed contentedly as Aziraphale's thick, warm fingers started massaging his scalp.

"Do you want something to drink, dear boy?" Aziraphale asked, his voice soft like the hot cocoa he was drinking.

"Hmmm, no I'm fine, thank you angel." He looked up at Aziraphale and smiled, taking his sunglasses off and putting them on the table. He knew Aziraphale loved to look at his eyes when they were alone. "What are you reading?"

"Pride and Prejudice. It's been such a long time since I last read it!" Aziraphale was silent for a moment, but then he asked, "do you want me to read out loud?"

Crowley loved when Aziraphale read things to him. It could be books or newspaper articles or anything. He just enjoyed listening as printed words rolled off his angel's tongue. It had a calming effect on him that Crowley didn't really explain. "Yes, please." He nodded, turning on his side and closing his eyes.

Aziraphale's fingers were steadily stroking Crowley's hair as he read for a few hours. His voice was low and soft, creating a soothing atmosphere around them. Like a cocoon of safety shielding them from the outside world. Moments like these felt out of time, tiny fragments of eternity where nothing else mattered. Nothing else but an angel and a demon who had loved each other tenderly for centuries and were now given the opportunity to freely express those feelings. They spent the day on Aziraphale's old couch, reading and talking or just enjoying each other's presence in silence. At one point, Crowley fell asleep with his head on Aziraphale's thigh, the sharp edges of his face looking incredibly softer. Crowley trusted him enough to let his guard down and show him the most vulnerable parts of himself and Aziraphale was grateful for that. He smiled fondly, gently running his fingers on the demon's shoulder.

* * *

  
When they entered the restaurant and were led to their table, Aziraphale knew he had made the right choice. He saw Crowley's eyes light up as he looked up at the glass ceiling, a genuine smile on his lips. The lights were dimmed to allow stars to be seen from the dining room, just as the pictures Aziraphale had seen promised. And Crowley seemed very appreciative of the view, so amazed he barely noticed when a waiter came and asked them what they would like to drink. Aziraphale ordered for them, chuckling fondly at Crowley's look of wonder. This got the demon to focus his attention back to his companion. His eyes were shining with glee and Aziraphale silently thanked God to be given the chance to witness Crowley's joy so openly.

When their waiter came back, Aziraphale ordered pasta with a mushroom sauce for starters and a grilled lemon and balsamic sole fillet for his main course. Crowley didn't order anything, as per usual. But this time, to the angel's surprise, he actually accepted to try the food Aziraphale offered him and went as far as to admit that it tasted good. But for the most part, he just enjoyed observing Aziraphale's delighted face as he ate and hearing his appreciative hums. This was always the best part of a meal for Crowley. That and good wine. This was the perfect evening Aziraphale had imagined in his dream. It was even better, because this was true. This was the reality where he got to share a marvellous time with his very best friend. His heart swelled with so much joy that it felt overwhelming. He got to share this perfect moment out of time with his demon, where nothing else mattered except them. No future to be worried about, no past to regret. Only a perfect, fleeting yet everlasting, present. Crowley's eyes were currently fixed on the night sky, but Aziraphale knew he had his undivided attention. Which he had proof of when Crowley started talking.

He pointed up at a constellation and said in a hushed voice, "you see Orion there? It's a great time of year to see it."

Aziraphale followed the direction in which Crowley pointed. He could recognise some constellations thanks to Crowley taking him to many stargazing nights. He was even able to remember the names of some of the stars, so when Crowley asked him, "You see Betelgeuse, up left, the second brightest star of the constellation?" Aziraphale simply nodded, being able to localise the star relatively easily. Crowley continued, excitement growing in his voice, "Astronomers think there's a chance it might explode in a supernova that would be visible from Earth relatively soon. It's not the most likely scenario, but still. It's been a long time since I last saw a supernova."

Aziraphale's eyes shifted from Orion to Crowley. In his opinion, the emotions playing on his friend's face were just as beautiful a scenery as the endless canvas of the firmament. He smiled fondly. "We can still hope for it to happen. I imagine humans must be very exciting about this possibility too."

"They are! Well, those who are interested in stars." Crowley had always been happy to see how much humans seemed to love stars. How many stories they told about them, how they used them to find their way at night. They put so much effort in studying what was up there, Crowley was proud of them. Proud of their curiosity endless curiosity, of the sea of emotions they put into writing, and singing about those distant things glowing on this dark tapestry. He had been following the progress of astronomy, amazed at how inventive and determined humans were to always push away the limits of what they knew about the universe around them.

And of course, Aziraphale knew this. He knew how much Crowley loved and admired humans. He shared the same love for those creatures whose lives were so short, yet so intense and meaningful. Most occult and ethereal beings didn't share those feelings. It was something Crowley and Aziraphale found hard to understand. To them, humans were amazing, their world was so complicated and rich and beautiful. It was one of the many things that made them different from other angels and demons, but it didn't matter, because they got to live in this world with the humans and with each other. They got to share eternity together on this little planet lost in the middle of a big universe. Earth was their planet of adoption; it was home to them in a way heaven or hell had never been.

And that's what they were celebrating tonight; the opportunity to spend perfect moments together for the rest of eternity, on this planet that felt like home.


End file.
